Is investing in IT really worth it?

Nurdianah Md Nur |
Oct. 4, 2013

Global head of innovation at Xchanging advises organisations to invest in IT according to their needs and capacity in order to reap the benefits.

Short to long-term goals are based on the degree of automation the organisation needs to achieve. This is dependent on the organisation's level of consumption and value of IT as an enabler. However, IT investment needs to accompany a culture of IT innovation within the organisation. Senior executives and employees need to be comfortable with changing technology and in favour of increased IT usage. Employees who are able and willing to adapt to the latest IT innovations is an intangible benefit that will ultimately add value to the organisation's bottom line.

Since technology spending is becoming a key building block for businesses, should companies in Asia map out a long-term strategic IT implementation plan?The landscape and technology available in the IT industry is constantly changing. As a result of the uncertainty, strategic IT planning should be a priority for organisations in the next three to five years. Organisations should have an overall IT roadmap but at the same time be flexible and allow for changes.

For example, they need to establish short-term goals that build the organisation's ability to adapt. This is in line with Singapore's iN2015 strategy, a masterplan to advance Singapore's infocomm infrastructure in order to develop an infocomm-savvy workforce and globally competitive infocomm manpower. In addition, the Singapore government has invested S$1.2 billion (US$960,000,000) to leverage industry expertise to improve IT services for consumers and businesses.

As a regional business hub with strong support for advanced IT platforms and skills, it is crucial for organisations in Singapore to harness the latest technologies to fuel creativity and innovation and avoid being left behind.